Wrench with box-type pivotable jaws ratchetable on workpiece



Feb. 18, 1958 "M..MANN 2,823,568

WRENCH WITH BOX-TYPE -PIVOTABLE JAWS RATCHETABLE ON WORKPIECE vFiledJune 8, 1955 INVENTOR.

WRENCH WITH BOX-TYPE PIVOTABLE JAWS RATCHETABLE ON WORKPIECE Morley Mann, Lombard, Ill.

Application June 8, 1955, Serial No. 513,980

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-91) My invention relates to wrenches, and is an improvement over my issued Patent #2,708,384.

An important object of my invention is to provide a novel wrench which comprises a handle pivotably mounting two complementary jaw elements which are adapted to pass over and encircle a nut or other workpiece from the side thereof and work loosely about a nut when the wrench is moved in one direction, and which are further adapted to tighten the nut when the wrench is moved in the opposite direction, the complementary jaw elements being retained normally in closed position by concealed spring means which permits the jaws to open sufficiently to be applied to a nut or the like from the side thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a wrench of the aforementioned character provided with latch means for maintaining the complementary wrench jaws in open position until the latch means is released.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a wrench of the aforementioned character which is simple in construction, effective in its use and operation, and one of such simple, elemental design and construction as to permit economical manufacture thereof in quantity production.

Other objects and advantages inherent in my invention will become .apparent from an examination of the accompanying drawings, bearing further elucidation in the ensuing description, wherein like symbols are used to designate like parts, and in which:

Fig. l is an elevation and shows the wrench in normally closed position. Fig. 2 is an elevation of .a head portion of the wrench shown in Fig. 1, but shows the complementary jaw elements maintained in open position by a latch, portions of the jaw elements being shown in section in order to more clearly depict the structurethereof, and the outer-most position of the outer jaw element being shown in broken lines.

Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the head portion of the wrench comprising my invention, showing how the jaw elements are separated so as to slip about a nut when the wrench handle is swung in counter-clockwise rotation as indicated by the dotted lines, or how the wrench head will grasp the nut when the wrench handle is swung in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the full lines and the arrow designated 42.

Fig. 4a is a slight modification of my invention illustrating complementary jaws adapted to grip round or quadrilateral objects.

Referring to the various views, my invention is generally designated 5 and includes a handle 6 which is suitably knurled so as to be conveniently gripped in the palm of the hand. The handle 6 is provided with an enlarged head portion 7, and a tongue portion 9. A saddle portion 8 is provided on the head portion 7 on which a latching means 29 is mounted. On the tongue portion 9, it will be noted that the same is bias cut at 26 in order to furnish United States Patent 0 clearance for pivotal movement of complementary jaw elements 17 and 15 and to define a concealed pocket in conjunction with bifurcations 19 and 14 of jaws 17 and 15, said pocket receiving a tension coil spring 25. Both of said jaw elements are provided with angularly notched nut-engaging faces 18 and 16 of semicircular extent so that the same when closed will form a composite polygonal configuration adapted to encircle completely and hold square or hexagonal nuts. The spring 25 has hooks 23 and 24 anchored to pins 22 and 21. Confronting edges 10 and 11 of the jaws 17 and 15, respectively are in proximity when the wrench is closed. It should be noted that the edges 10 and 11 extend obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle to furnish greater strength and rigidity in jaw 17 by making it wider in the area near its pivot 20. It will also be noted that the tongue portion 9 is provided with a rounded clearance portion 12, and that pins 13 and 29 articulately support respectively, the jaw 15 and the jaw 17, said pins 13 and 20 forming axes which are laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis of the handle and which are offset along said axes. The jaws are urged to closed position, as indicated in Fig. 1, by the spring 25.

The latching means 29 is provided with a latching portion 35 and a shoulder portion 36 which will engage a bottom ledge 41 of the jaw 17. The jaws when held in the closed position are so held by the spring element 25, and the ability of the complementary jaws 17 and 15 to grab a nut 37 when the wrench handle is swung in a clockwise direction is made possible by a shoulder 4?: on jaw 17 engaging an inner corner on the forward end of jaw 15, while the jaws grip a nut 37 for rotation. The bifurcations 14 of jaw 15 straddle the tongue portion 9.

The latching means 29 is provided with a knurled portion 34 so that it can be manipulated by the thumb, and is caused to ride on the saddle 8 heretofore mentioned. The latch 29 is provided with a slotted guide portion 31) terminating in an offset slotted portion 31 and receiving longitudinally aligned rivets or guides 32 and 33. When the latch 29 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the slotted portion 30 is guided by means of the bodies of the rivets 32 and 33 and is also held in alignment with said rivets, the heads maintaining the latch 29 in assembly.

The rearmost guide rivet 33, when the latch 29 is moved forward to operative or latching position as indicated in Fig. 2, will enter the offset slotted portion 31 and hold the outer jaw 17, as shown in solid lines, in open position until it is removed from or placed about the peripheral portion of a nut 37 to be engaged by the complementary jaws 17 and 15. As shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, the outer jaw 17 is in the outermost position to which it can be moved as it is being removed from or applied to the nut 37. After the wrench is applied to the nut, movement of the latch 29 to the position indicated in Fig. l releases the jaws to grab the nut 37. Then the wrench handle is oscillated in the direction of the arrow 42 in order to tighten or loosen the nut, depending on which side face of the wrench is applied toward'the nut.

In Fig. 1, it is presumed that when the wrench handle is swung in a clockwise direction it will thread the nut onto a stud or pipe or the like if it has right-hand threads. If the wrench were inverted with respect to the position indicated in Fig. 1, counter-clockwise movement of the wrench handle would loosen the nut 37.

To operate the wrench, it may be set as indicated in solid lines in Fig. 2, the jaw 17 being pressed against the side wall of a nut so as to move the jaw 17 to its outermost or dotted line position, at which time the wrench jaws can be slipped over the nut, the latch 29 then being released so that the spring 25 causes the complementary jaw elements 17 and 15 to swing, to their closed positions,

as shown in Fig. 1, so that corners of the nut move into certain notches of the faces 16 and 18. However, it should be understood that the wrench may be easily applied to the nut without latching the jaws in the open position merely by pressing the free end of the jaw 17 against the side of the nut so that the pressure will cause the jaws to pivot rearwardly and to open sufficiently to permit them to be slipped around the nut. The structure which permits the jaws to open sufiiciently to be applied from the side of the nut is particularly advantageous when the nut is not on the end of a stud or pipe or the like, but is on a threaded portion in the middle of an elongated pipe or tube assembly or the like. Then the wrench is manipulated either to tighten or loosen the nut as required. When the wrench is to be removed from the nut or workpiece, the jaws are first locked in the open position so that the removal may be accomplished easily.

Fig. 4a shows a slightly modified embodiment of this invention which is similar to the above described structure as indicated by the application of identical reference numerals with the sufiix a added to corresponding elements. In this embodiment the work-engaging surfaces 16a and 155a of the jaws are formed and serrated to accommodate a round workpiece such as a pipe section or the like.

Although the drawings and the above specification disclose the best modes in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire to be in no way limited to the details of such disclosure, for in the further practical application of my invention many changes in the form and construction thereof may be made as circumstances require or experience suggests without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wrench adapted to grip adjustably varied shapes of units of predetermined diameter when rotated in one direction and further adapted to slip on said units when rotated in a contra direction, comprising a handle, a pair of complementary jaw elements including opposing unitengageable faces each of substantially semicircular extent for substantially completely encircling a unit, spaced pivot means respectively connecting said jaw elements to an end portion of said handle for movement from a closed position with opposing ends of said faces substantially in abutting relationship to and from an open position with said clamping faces spaced a distance at least as great as said predetermined diameter, said spaced pivot means being disposed on axes laterally spaced from a longitudinal axis or" said handle and being ofiset along said axis, and concealed spring means disposed outwardly of said pivot means from said handle and secured to said comple- 4 mental-y jaw elements for urging them to said closed position.

2. A wrench adapted to grip adjustably varied shapes of units when rotated in one direction and further adapted to slip on said units when rotated in a contra direction, comprising a handle provided with a head portion and a tongue portion, a pair of complementary jaw elements articulately secured to said tongue portion by pivot means spaced rearwardly from a free end of said tongue portion, said pivot means being disposed on axes laterally spaced from a longitudinal axis of said handle and being offset along said axis, concealed spring means located in front of said free end of said tongue portion and secured to said complementary jaw elements for urging them to closed position, a saddle portion on said head portion, and latch means mounted on said saddle portion and engageable with one or" said jaw elements to hold the latter in open position.

3. A 'wrench adapted to grip adjustably varied shapes of units when rotated in one direction and further adapted to slip on said units when rotated in a contra direction, comprising a handle provided with a head portion and a tongue portion, a pair of complementary inner and outer jaw elements articulately secured to said tongue portion by pivot means spaced rearwardly from a free end of said tongue portion, said pivot means being disposed on axes laterally spaced from a longitudinal axis of said handle and being offset along said axis, concealed spring means located in front of said free end of said tongue portion and secured to said complementary jaw elements for urging them to closed position, a saddle portion on said head portion, latch means mounted on said saddle portion and engageable with one of said jaw elements to hold the latter in open position, and a pair of interlockable edges on said complementary jaw elements, said edges making contact for interlock only when said wrench is swung to effectively grip and rotate one of said units, one of said interlockable edges being formed by a rearwardly facing shoulder on said outer jaw element, and the other interlockable edge being formed by a confronting free end of an inner side of said inner jaw element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 924,816 Newell June 15, 1909 1,002,101 Watts Aug. 29, 1911 1,910,268 Sorenson May 23, 1933 1,924,393 Beery Aug. 29, 1933 2,708,384 Mann May 17, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 355,522 Germany June 28, 1922 

